ed into their bales of precious stuffs to see that they had got no
injury from the dust and sand of the desert; they counted over their bags
of money to see that all was right; and began to lay them all in order,
that they might enter the town as soon as the gates were open, and trade
for their king in the morning hours, which he had told them were the
best.

{The King and His Servants: p115.jpg}

But some of the other servants laughed at them for taking all this care
and trouble. "Surely it will be time enough," they said, "to get every
thing ready when the markets are open to-morrow. We have had a long,
hot, weary journey, and we must rest and refresh ourselves before we
think of trading." So they spread the tables, and began to feast in a
riotous way, quite forgetting the king's service, and putting the morrow
out of their thoughts.

Now as soon as the sun was up, in the morning, there was a great stir
amongst the servants. Those who had been careful and watchful in the
evening were ready with all their bales; and as soon as ever the city-
gates were open, they marched in through them with their goods. It was a
great wide city into which they entered, and must hold, they thought, a
vast multitude of men. Houses and streets of all sizes met their eyes
here and there; but they passed easily along, because it was still so
early in the morning, that few persons were in the streets, and those few
were all bent upon business, as they were themselves. So they passed on
to the great market where the merchants bought and sold, and here they
set out all their goods; and the merchants came round them to look over
their wares, and to shew them what they had to sell in return. Now they
found it true as the king had foretold them. For they had the first
choice of all that the merchants could offer. One of them opened his
stores, and shewed them rubies, and diamonds, and pearls, such as they
had never seen before for size and beauty. So they chose a pearl of
great price, and they bought it for their prince, and they trafficked in
their other wares, and gained for him more than as many bags of treasure
as he had given them at first. Thus they traded according to their
skill, and every one had now secured something for his lord. The pearl
of great price was stored by some; others had rich dresses adorned with
gold and precious stones; others had bags of the most refined gold;
others had the spices of Arabia and the fra